Review of A Bound Heart

Title:  A Bound Heart

Author: Laura Frantz

Chapters: 40

Pages: 400

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction Christian Historical Romance

Rating: 5 Stars

A Bound Heart took me on a journey from Scotland to Virginia.  A Journey I was expecting and didn't know I needed. A Bound Heart is the tenth book by Laura Frantz and the most emotional one to date. There was more twists and turns in it than The Mistress of Tall Arce and Love's Reckoning combined.  There was plenty of times through this one that I almost gave up on a happy ending, well not a happy per say just on the way I wanted the story to end. 

Ever since Outlander I've been on a bit of a Scottish Highland or Scotland setting in general, because something was missing from Outlander that a main stream series can't fill. And that's characters with strong faith and a clean story.  But that's what A Bound Heart gives readers.  A Christian historical fiction novel with romance set in the same time period of Scotland.  Though the story doesn't stay in Scotland.  The last Jacobite rebellion pretty much ruined the highland way of life. 

Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall  grew up together on the island of  Kerrera but as adults their lives couldn't be more different he's the Laird of the castle and she's the keeper of bees and the stillroom.  When his wife dies unexpectedly  be he and Lark finds themselves indentured servants  headed across the Atlantic though for different reasons.   Both characters will have to hang to their faith to see them through. 

Much like with The Mistress of Tall Acre the character who most stole my heart wasn't a main character nor an adult but a wee child.  I loved seeing another hero in Laura's book have a strong faith.   I loved Magnus more than  I thought I would but not enough to knock General Seamus Ogilvy out of my favorite hero of Laura's spot but I do believe Laird Magnus MacLeish ties for first place. I'm still not sure will Lark ranks. 

A Bound Heart has me wanting to find more historical fiction books set in Scotland I'm not ready to leave Alba behind. For those not familiar with Scots, there is a Scots glossary at the beginning of the book.

I would recommend this book to  anyone who loves Christian Historical fiction and romance. Anyone who loves historical fiction in general as well as books set in Scotland.  This book is also perfect for fans of Outlander who would love a cleaner faith filled read. 

I received a e-copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I also won a copy of this book from Goodreads. 

New Release I’m looking forward to this year January- May

January

1^st

A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

My Heart Belongs in the Blueridge Laurel’s Dream by Pepper D. Basham

8^th

The Lost Traveller by Sheila Connolly

Slayer by Kiersten White

22^nd

Only  Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

29^th

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

February

5^th

Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambron

Between Two Shores by Jocelyn Green

12^th

One Thing I Know by Kara Isaac

Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise

19^th

Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love by Mary Calvi

26^th

Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

Murder in an Irish Pub by Carlene O’Connor

No Good Tea Goes Unpunished by Bree Baker

March

5^th

A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro

Within These Lines by Stephanie Morrill

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt De la Pena

12^th

American Princess: A Novel of First daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Thornton

19^th

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

26^th

The Library of Lost and found by Phaedra Patrick

April

30^th 

Murder on Trinity Place by Victoria Thompson

Sweet on You by Becky Wade

May

7^th

Romanov by Nadine Brandes

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

14^th

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Anna of Kleve: The Princess in the Portrait by Allison Weir

21^st

Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner

28^th Happy birthday to me

Murder in the City of Liberty by Rachel McMillan

June

1^st

The Noble Guardian by Michelle Griep

4^th

The King’s Mercy by Lori Benton

The Number of Love by Roseann M White

9^th

My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love by Amanda Baratt

Review of The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Title:  The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Author: Heather Morris

Pages: 256

Genre: Historical fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is a hard novel to read not because of the way it’s written, but because of the heavy topic. But it's a time in our history that we need to know about. And sometimes reading about it in a historical fiction novel allows it to reach more people than a history textbook would reach.  

This book is a story of courage in a dark time in not only Jewish history but world history.  This book is based on the life of a Holocaust survivor Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov who was also the Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist. Learning this bit of history that the nazi's would force a Jew to tattoo his fellow Jewish prisoners makes even more heartbreaking. As a student of history I'm pretty sure that this was never taught in any history classes I've ever taken.  

I'm thankful that Heather Morris meet Lale and that he allowed her to tell his story. A story that might have otherwise been lost to time.  While it's a hard story to read it definitely worth reading. I suggest having tissues handy.  I recommend that everyone read this but I do realize that it is a hard subject for some to read about.  That's why I also add proceed with caution.  

Reading this week

Finished

Reading

A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz

Non-fiction reading

The Family Tree Scottish Genealogy Guide by Amanda Epperson

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Getting ready to read

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

All Made Up by Kara Isaac

Room for Cream by Erynn Mangum

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

January TBR

A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz

Room for Cream by Eyrnn Mangum

All Made up by Kara Isaac

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Reading Goals and Reading Challenges for 2019

Read all the OWLCrate have as of (December 2018)

Read new OwlCrate books with in three months of getting them

Read at least three Classics

Read 12 Non-fiction books

Read three own voices books

Finish five series

Catch up on the Outlander book series

TBR: Jar I'll draw one title out each month to read. Either a physical book or an e-book

Read 5 physical books and five e-books before I buy a new

My Goodreads goal for 2019 is : 52 books 

My goodreads challenges 

A STAMP IN YOUR PASSPORT

Country 1- We will start in the good ole US of A.

Maybe as a fun challenge for you all, pick a state of the US that you have not been to, but would like to visit for your first read of this challenge.
1. US-

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Ok, who's in for this one- I'll do levels in case you don't want to commit to all 12.

1-4 books- Taking a little trip

5-8 books- Expanding your horizons

9-12 books- Around the world we go.

January-clean off your bookshelf

1.

2.

3.

4.

3-4 book making more room

The suspense is killing me

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2.

3.

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5.

6.

Holding your breathe 6-11 books

PAST, PRESENT AND CATCH UP

Ok here's a new one that I thought could be pretty fun. I'll give it 6 months as even though it's only 3 books to complete the challenge, classics can be pretty lengthy at times :)

Here's what this challenge entails-

Read three books-

1.) A Classic book - one that you haven't read before, but have always meant to!

2) A contemporary book that you see a lot of members posting about "It's popular" and so you are going to join in and read it too. ( certainly a group read book can count towards this one.

3) A catch up book- look over the books on our our group read shelves and pick one that you haven't read yet, so the you can catch up :).

That's it only 3 :)

WHAT'S IN A NAME? 2019

Here is your list for the first 6 months of 2019.


1) A book with a name of a residence in the title,


2) A book with either the word "Boys" or "Girls" in the title .


3) A book with any words relating to a body of water


4) A Book with the word "Shadow" in the title


5) A book with either "Silver" or "Gold" in the title-


6) A book with the words "Secret" or "Hidden" in the title.

KINDLE CHALLENGE-2019

Ok Kindle users here is your 6 month challenge to start off 2019!

1. Read a book with a 4 star rating or higher.

2. Read a freebie!

3. Read a book in a series.

4. Read an ebook or listen to an audiobook in a Libby App. (through overdrive) If that's not an option, then hand your kindle to a friend and have them choose one for you.

5. Read an ebook that is under 50 pages.

6. Read an ebook that you have had on your kindle for over a year.

RAINBOW 2019

I've actually posted this one before a few years back, but since folks have brought it up I guess it's time to re-visit this challenge :). This will be a 6 month challenge as there are 6 colors that I'm choosing for the colors of the rainbow. So you are looking for books that are-

1- Red on the cover or the word "Red" in the title.

2- Orange on the cover or the word "Orange" in the title.

3.- Yellow on the cover or the word "Yellow" in the title.

4. -Green on the cover or the word "Green in the title.

5.- Blue on the cover or the word "Blue" in the title.

6.- Purple on the cover or the word "Purple in the title.

MYSTERY 2019

There are a lot of mystery lovers in this group so I am brining this one back and switching it up just a little bit, so some of the categories will be a little different than last year, but mostly the same. Hope you have fun with this one. You will read 12 mysteries in these different categories- 1 per month .

Here are your categories-
Read 12 mysteries, featuring:

-An amateur sleuth
-A disappearance
-A lost valuable or artifact
-An experienced detective
-A mystery with some type of food or drink in the title
-A mystery that does not have a murder
-A mystery that is not set in the US or England
-A Christmas mystery
-A historical mystery
-A mystery with a book pictured on the cover
-A mystery with a lawyer, courtroom, judge, etc.
-A mystery with a Detective Team

Nonfiction 2019

Sophomore/wise fool 6-15

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Cozy Mysteries 2019

1-10 Nancy Drew

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

1-0.

Library challenge 2019

Picture Book 6-15 library books

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Finish the series 2019

3-5 series

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Back to the classics 2019

3-10 Jane Eyre

1.

2.

3.

Marathon TBR 2019

50 Yard Dash read 12-14 books

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

New Releases 2019

1-10 Fresh Off the printing press

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2.

3.

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5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Around the World 2019

A bit of Jaunt 1-5 Countries

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

e-reader 2019

I read on my kindle app on my iphone 5-10 ebooks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

50 states 2019

Getting a look at the USA 1-12

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2.

3

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5.

6.

7.

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9.

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11.

12.

Read your Bible Challenge

12 for 12

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2.

3.

4.

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7.

8.

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12.

And the Modern Mrs. Darcy reading challenge

December Wrap Up

December Wrap Up

I read a total of 23 books 6689 pages and an average rating of 3.3 stars. I started the month at 28 unread books. Got my owlcrate book and read one book so my total is still at 28.

The Rancher’s Christmas by Brenda Minton

A Pioneer Christmas Collection

Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Prince in Disguise by Stephine Kate Strohm

Christmas Hideout by Susan Sleeman

Just Plain Murder by Laura Bradford

Rose in Three Quarter Time by Rachel McMillian

Christmas Under Fire by Michelle Karl

The Twins’ Family Christmas by Lee Tobin McClain

Bodyguard for Christmas by Carol J Post

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston (Owned book)

Mutts and Mistletoe by Natalie Cox

 The Novel Art of Murder by V.M. Burns

Alabama Spitfire by Bethany Hegedus

 Who I am With You by Robin Lee Hatcher

 Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

 The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson

 The Librarians and the Pot of Gold by Greg Cox

 Nickolas Claus: Ghosts of Christmas Past by Kellly Creagh

 Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Slay in Character by Lynn Cahoon

A Moment in Crime by Amanda Allen